Latest CBA standings: Guangsha dominates to claim the top spot, Zhejiang stages comeback against Qingdao, Guangdong suffers heavy defeat & Sichuan hits 9-game losing streak

On January 2nd Beijing time, the CBA regular season continued with five games concluding last night. In a battle of bottom teams, Jiangsu faltered in the final quarter, losing 79-84 to Ningbo. Beijing crushed Guangdong with an overwhelming 105-74 victory. Sichuan collapsed, suffering an 88-104 loss to Fujian. Tianjin was soundly defeated 68-102 by defending champions Guangsha. Zhejiang fought hard to miraculously overturn the dark horse Qingdao 78-73. Consequently, the updated standings show Guangsha on a 7-game winning streak topping the table, edging out Beijing and Guangdong, Shanghai in fourth with five straight wins, Qingdao fifth, and Sichuan at the bottom with nine consecutive losses!

Jiangsu versus Ningbo. Once considered bottom dwellers, these two teams show contrasting forms this season. Jiangsu is currently on a 3-game losing streak, while Ningbo has rapidly improved with 3 straight wins. This match was fiercely contested with back-and-forth action. In the fourth quarter, Ningbo focused on double-teaming Jiangsu’s top scorer Pang Zhenglin, which proved effective. Ningbo steadily pulled away as Jiangsu failed to score in the final moments, suffering their fourth consecutive loss, while Ningbo extended their winning streak to four!

Beijing versus Guangdong. Beijing suffered their first defeat of the season last round against defending champions Guangsha. This round, they faced strong rival Guangdong in a back-to-back match, a highly anticipated showdown. What was expected to be a fierce battle turned one-sided as Guangdong showed no form and lost key player Xu Jie to injury. Beijing’s multiple scorers dominated the game, overwhelming Guangdong who were outmatched on both ends. The gap widened quickly, and Beijing triumphed with a huge 31-point margin, handing Guangdong their first loss of the season!

Sichuan versus Fujian. Both teams are bottom-tier, with Sichuan enduring a miserable 8-game losing streak. The first quarter was tightly contested, ending tied at 24. In the second quarter, Zou Yang went on a scoring spree, combining inside and outside attacks to lead Fujian to a 31-21 quarter advantage. In the second half, Fujian continued to dominate, with Zou Yang drawing fouls and extending the lead. Ultimately, five Fujian players scored in double digits to crush Sichuan, who suffered their ninth straight defeat—truly a tough stretch for them!

Zhejiang versus Qingdao. Zhejiang has struggled this season but is gradually regaining form. This round, they faced the very strong Qingdao, a serious test. Qingdao started strong as visitors, outscoring Zhejiang by 8 in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Zhejiang’s offense exploded, outscoring Qingdao by 7 to narrow the gap to just 1 point at halftime. The second half saw a tight battle, but near the end, Qingdao’s inside and outside shots pushed them ahead by 11. However, Wang Yibo’s multiple mistakes gifted Zhejiang an 11-0 run that forced overtime. In the extra period, Wang Yibo continued to falter while Zhejiang steadily scored to secure a miraculous comeback win over Qingdao!

Tianjin versus Guangsha. The struggling Tianjin faced defending champions Guangsha. The skill gap was huge and the outcome never in doubt. Guangsha came out strong in the first quarter, firing on all cylinders to post a 24-9 score. Tianjin matched Guangsha in the second quarter to keep the deficit manageable, trailing by 16 at halftime. In the third quarter, Guangsha unleashed another offensive burst, scoring 31 to Tianjin’s 11, extending the lead beyond 30 points and effectively sealing the game early. Though Tianjin fought back in the final quarter, the large deficit was insurmountable. Guangsha had five players scoring in double digits, storming to their seventh straight victory and reclaiming first place!

Written by / Sports Novel